**Australian War Hero Charged with Five Murders in Afghanistan**

A former Australian soldier has been charged with five counts of murder for alleged war crimes in Afghanistan. The man, a highly decorated veteran, is only the second Australian from the Afghanistan campaign to face such charges. He was not named in a police statement, but Australian media widely identified him as Ben Roberts-Smith, a recipient of the Victoria Cross, the nation's highest military honor. The Australian Federal Police stated the charges relate to conduct during his deployment in Afghanistan between 2006 and 2012. The charges follow a landmark four-year investigation into alleged war crimes by Australian special forces. The accused is scheduled to appear in court at a later date. If convicted, he faces a potential sentence of life imprisonment.